


Off the post

by sarih93



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-19
Updated: 2015-12-19
Packaged: 2018-05-07 15:42:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5462084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarih93/pseuds/sarih93
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The tension reaches a breaking point.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Off the post

Clang! Christen's shot hits the crossbar. She makes a face but gets ready for the reset.

"Press what the hell! I was open!" It's very unusual for Alex and Christen to be on the same team during scrimmages and for good reason.

"I wanted to surprise Ashlyn," Christen defends herself.

"Look how well that worked out for you." Alex raises her hands in frustration.

 "Let it go Alex, just go back to your spot." Christen didn't realized Julie was close enough to hear her conversation but she's glad she stepped in.

"I'm not talking to you," Alex says coldly.

Julie steps toward the forward but before she can say anything else one of the coaches blow a whistle.

"Concentrate on the training ladies. Morgan and Press, come talk to me when we get back to the hotel."

Immediately after Jill speaks to them Alex walks away. Christen stares at her until Julie gives her a pat on the back before jogging back to her position and Christen imitates her.

**

It'd be a lie if Christen said that she didn't spend the rest of the training and the bus ride back to the hotel wondering what exactly Jill wanted with her and Alex. That confrontation during practice although bad and completely unprofessional was unusual for them; usually they just ignored each other on and off the field.

**

After leaving her bag at the room she’s sharing with Krieger Christen goes to Jill’s room. When she gets there Alex is waiting for her outside and they both go in without saying a word to each other.

“I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how inappropriate your behavior was today,” Jill tells them sternly. She sighs before continuing, “two of my best forwards are incapable of working together. That is a big problem for me and one that, frankly, I’m tired of it.”

Alex tries to say something but Jill raises a hand to stop her. “I talked with the other coaches and we have decided to give you two an opportunity to fix this issue by yourselves. But in a public setting that would hopefully prevent you from yelling at each other.”

“What public setting?” Alex asks wearily.

“A meet and greet of sorts. Tomorrow the two of you are going to surprise a high school team, practice with them and take a few photos.”

“Ok,” Christen says even if she doesn’t have a choice. She doubts this little experiment will work but she’s confident they won’t fight in front of high school girls.

Alex nods once before they’re both dismissed.

On the elevator back to the floor the players are staying at Christen thinks about what she could say to Alex right now. But before she can figure it out the doors open and they go in different directions.

Christen trudges back to her room. She really didn’t want to spend her day off with the one player who she doesn’t get along.

Christen expects to find Ali on their room. What she founds is Kelley sprawled all over her bed.

“What are you doing here? Where’s Ali?”

“Since I’m rooming with Ash Ali was more than happy to switch keys with me for a little while. And for what I’m doing here it should be obvious. I want to know what that reunion with Al and Jill was about,” Kelley looks expectantly at Christen.

Christen sighs before dropping on the bed next to Kelley. “Jill thinks that the two of us doing a public appearance together is going to fix our relationship on the field.”

“Well,” Kelley draws out, “it’s worth a shot.”

Christen just shrugs. “I don’t even know why we don’t get along.”

“Doesn’t mean you can’t. You two have a lot more in common than just being awesome at soccer. Me for example,” Kelley jokes to make Christen smile. Christen lightly pushes her away.

“You’re both also too competitive and kinda bad at expressing your emotions in a rational way.” Kelley doesn’t want to hurt Christen’s feelings but she’s a little fed up with her stubborn best friends.

“Talking to a bunch of high schoolers isn’t going to fix that.”

“No,” Kelley concedes, “but talking to each other might.”

“I’m going to go hang out with Kling, JJ and Moe.”

Kelley rolls her eyes at the obvious change of topic (which funny enough is something Alex does too).

“I’ll come with. I should probably stay away from my room a while longer.”

**

Christen and Alex have the U.S. van to themselves since Heif and his crew are on the one behind them.

Christen thinks about what Kelley told her but doesn't know how to begin a conversation with someone she has known for almost three years and doesn't know anything about that isn't already on the Internet.

The first time they met Alex seemed nice enough and welcoming. The second time they talked Alex coldly told her she was in her seat. Things never really improved after that despite Kelley and Tobin's efforts. Christen preferred to stay away from Alex and started to hang out more with Ali, Kling and Whitney and also Morgan and Julie once they started getting call ups. It wasn't ideal but it worked. Now though there was a ton of pressure on the coaching staff to replace Abby and they couldn't keep ignoring the issues between her and Alex.

It takes them less than thirty minutes to get to the high school. Practice must have been about to end because the coach is in the middle of a circle talking to the students who are chugging water and taking off their cleats.

It’s an amazing experience to see how those exhausted girls cheer up the moment they see their idols. And it’s crazy to think that anyone looks up at her.

As expected the girls have a million questions for them but there’s one that stands out.

"What's the thing you admire the most about each other?"

Christen freezes but she recovers fast. “There’s no one out there who has higher expectation of Alex than her and that’s amazing.”

“Christen is always encouraging her teammates and giving them praise for their play but she’s also capable of putting the team on her shoulders.”

Christen turns to look at Alex only to find she was already looking at her.

Christen and Alex cram together to take what feels like a thousand pictures before they are able to leave.

Although back at the field it felt like they had agreed on a truce the ride back to the hotel is still filled with a tense silence.

"I'm sorry.” Alex sighs. "I shouldn't have yelled at you at practice. I'm just frustrated with the way recovery is going but that doesn't give me the right to take it out on you."

"I can't imagine what it's been like for you having had to deal with so many injuries in a short period of time but everyone on team has faith in you. You still have a lot more soccer in you."

Alex smiles and it's nice knowing that smile is for her.

"Why don't you like me?" Christen asks since it seems like they are making progress.

"I don't know." Alex responded looking tense again all of a sudden.

"You don't know," Christen repeats in disbelief. "You made me believe you hated me but you don't know why?" Christen wants to be mad but she's feeling more hurt than anything else.

Alex lets out a little sound of frustration before quickly leaning over and kissing Christen square on the lips.

The kiss was so brief that even if Christen had wanted to respond she wouldn't have been able to. But it makes her question whether or not she wants to kiss Alex Morgan. She always tried to NOT think about Alex that way because it seemed so impossible but now? Now it's a definite possibility.

"I never thought..." Christen trails off; she doesn't even know what she wanted to say.

Alex shrugs and she's looking more and more miserable by the second so Christen takes pity on her and squeezes the hand closest to her. Alex visibly relaxes.

"I need time and a proper conversation," Christen says. "Not now though," she adds when Alex tenses again.

"Ok," Alex says sounding shyer than Christen thought was possible for Alex Morgan.

Christen doesn't let go of Alex's hand until they reach the hotel.

**

The next game Alex scores off a beautiful assist by Christen. 20 minutes later she returns the favor.

**Author's Note:**

> This was very very hard to write but now I can say I have written Christen/Alex.


End file.
